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Mon 20 Oct, 2003 04:48 am
I'm getting a little mixed up. Someone please enlighten me. :wink:
Religion is to believe, spirituality is to be enlightened, philosophy is to love knowledge with logos.
Some may disagree with me, but you can be spiritual without being religious, but not really have religion without spirituality. Religion to me is the organization itself, and spirituality (too often dogma) is what representatives of the organization attempt to teach their parishoners/flock. Philosophy would be discourse and discussion of difficult questions regarding our nature and existence, in order to better understand ourselves and the world around us.
Religion is to venerate, spirituality is to wonder, philosophy is to know or die trying.
Good point Phoenix. Craven's and Satt's answers are both concise and to the point.
Religion is the group practicing uniform spiritual beliefs. Spirituality is the belief. Philosophy is the critcal analysis of widely held beliefs. Philosophy can encompass religion and spirituality, but is not limited to these topics. Religion in and of itself should encompass spirituality, but is pretty well defined beliefs, whereas Spirituality is whatever you feel to be so and whatever way you choose to practice your faith. I see religion as a box my Spirituality cannot fit in, because of my philisophical reasoning.~Loraine
Religion is usually a group effort, or consists of rituals - spirituality is the personal part of religion, where you personally connect to the things you are doing and worshipping. Philosophy is more concrete than religion but less concrete than science.
The way I see it (as percieved in this place and time):
Philosophy covers areas unable to be observed scientifically. It covers things in a scientific, logical way where science can not or does not. For example, examining the mind/body problem. People theorize and debate with their minds using logical principles. Views can be proven or disproven through logical thinking and debate.
Religion is a nameable attempt through which to see the world, usually a systematic defineable set of beliefs. They do not need to correspond with logic or rationality.
Spirituality is an attitude about the world that is not logical, dealing more with emotion and intuition. Unlike religion, it does not have a set of rules or definable systematic beliefs.
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The dictionary definitions:
phi·los·o·phy ( P ) Pronunciation Key (f-ls-f)
n. pl. phi·los·o·phies
1. Love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and moral self-discipline.
2. Investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods.
3. A system of thought based on or involving such inquiry: the philosophy of Hume.
4. The critical analysis of fundamental assumptions or beliefs.
5. The disciplines presented in university curriculums of science and the liberal arts, except medicine, law, and theology.
6. The discipline comprising logic, ethics, aesthetics, metaphysics, and epistemology.
7. A set of ideas or beliefs relating to a particular field or activity; an underlying theory: an original philosophy of advertising.
8. A system of values by which one lives: has an unusual philosophy of life.
re·li·gion ( P ) Pronunciation Key (r-ljn)
n.
1.
a. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
b. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
2. The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
3. A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
4. A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.
spir·i·tu·al·i·ty ( P ) Pronunciation Key (spr-ch-l-t)
n. pl. spir·i·tu·al·i·ties
1. The state, quality, manner, or fact of being spiritual.
2. The clergy.
3. Something, such as property or revenue, that belongs to the church or to a cleric. Often used in the plural.
Religion is to do.
Spirituality is to be.
Doobedoobedoo is Philosophy !
Good points twyvel.
My own "straight answer" would be:
Religion is a shared world view involving the existence of a deity and a derived code of behaviour.
Spirituality is an individual world view involving transcendence of everyday actions.
Philosophy is the contrastive analysis of world views and their origins.
Religion controls the way you live, the way you deal with people. both spirituality or phylosophy dont.
barhoooooom
Well you'd have to define what "controls" means.
If it is in regard to "influences" on ones existence I think both spirituality and philosophy can and do have a major impact on how people live their lives.
by the way, welcome to A2K
barhoooooom
thanks for your welcome,
for "controls"
I cant find a better word, I dont mean infulence, because anything can influence one's life, football can influence, vedio games can influence too. I meant CONTROL. ie
I dont eat this food because it is not allowed.
I dont go to this place because GOD told me not to go there.
I wake up at this certain time because God likes me to pray at this time.
When I am in a situation at which I have to choose, then religion will play a very strong role in determining my choice.
I pay some of money to the poor because my religion tells me to do so.
WHY ALL OF THAT.
I believe that this is the only way humans can live happily and peace. we humans are not divine, we cant tell 100% the correct things from the wrong ones. SOME cant do that at all.
So, some one divine (which is God) has to set everything for us, and teach us how to live, how to deal with people, and how deal withhim and thank him.
if people were left to do and choose what ever they like then I think that life would be a mess.
Religion isn't the only way that social values can be enforced.
Other things, such as schooling, parental discipline, and laws orient people into common social acceptance. Religion is one way to do this, but certainly not the only way. I don't think it is the best way, because it is sometimes inconsistent with my moral values (ex. the crusades) and because it is not rational, and can lead to flawed views about life.
the correct religion of God NEVER contradicts morals or logic. if it does then it is not from God, it is from man.
in schools and at home they must teach us the correct teachings of the correct religion, the correct religion is so comprehensive that it teaches everything correct and tlls us abt what is wrong.
in my religion, God says: you must take into account the culture and customs of people, so my parents teach me according to this, they teach me what is proper and what is not proper in the culture I am living in, unless ofcourse this culture clearly contradicts the religion,
for example, in some culture men kiss women who are not their wives, my religion says this is not allowed, so my parents teach me how to get out of these situations in a good and nice way without offending others.
So what is the correct religion barhoooooom ?